Bahrain's king declares martial law

Reporting from Manama, Bahrain, and Riyadh, Saudi Bahrain's king imposed a three-month state of emergency Tuesday as sectarian strife deepened in this tiny island kingdom, inflaming tensions between the region's largest rivals, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

After the declaration of martial law by King Hamed ibn Isa Khalifa, Bahrain's armed forces said they were launching a "crackdown on lawbreakers," implying in a statement that they would move against the protesters, predominantly Shiite Muslims, who have occupied areas of the capital, Manama, and all but paralyzed the country.